Alone
by Itsme-Liv
Summary: This is my very first fanfiction so I'm really sorry if its terrible! Sam comes across a young patient on her way to work who is gravely ill on the street. The girl appears very normal at first but like every person she too has a back story.
1. Chapter 1

The birds flew for safety. From their once safe perch on the frosty November branches, they descended away from the scene of the crime . One ear splitting shot was heard ,it made the industrial city appear silent incomparison to the ear smattering crash that was released from the barrel of the gun. After that all that was heard was the gentle flapping of the birds leaving together as a flock,a family.

**Sam's P.O.V**

I awoke at half 6 due to the grating wail of my alarm clock pounding in my ear drums ,slowly managing to drag myself out of bed and creeping bleary eyed into the kitchen,despite the early morning sickness I had faced from eating so early in the morning I forced some muesli down my neck,before wrapping up warm for it was now Novemeber and the nights were longer and colder ,trudging out into the frost I began my tretuourous journey to the ED. As I walked the music from my iPod clouded my ears,blocking out the conjested traffic allowing me to gather my thoughts for the day ahead. There was nothing really about this day that was particularly different, same routine ,same destination but as I lumbered myself along the city streets ,despite my music switched up full blast the echoey thud of a gun shot was heard, I looked above to discover the panicked flapping of birds as they fled for safety.

**Harper's P.O.V**

Luminous jackets made their way to the forefront of my vision after the thudding of heavy duty footsteps encased in protective boots. Hands scoop me up by my armpits and drag my broken body up chewing gum clad steps into this bleary light that sting my pale face, the men in luminous jackets look scared,more scared than I feel, I feel eerily calm or maybe the enormity of what has happened has hit me yet, I don't know and I don't know what's going on either. Worried voices drift over my lacerated head, I lie dazed on the damp high street unable to interpret quite what's going on. The men that once held me now encase radios in the very same hands murmuring strange codes,their panicking eyes darting back at me . I looked down to see the reason why their faces were crumpled. That's when I begin to scream.

**Sam's P.O.V**

Despite 8 years in the army, I don't think anything could of prepared me for this. Maybe I'm just used to seeing corpses on the battlefield,not streets in Holby, here is my sanctuary. When I see her body being dragged from the underground passageway, that even I daren't use, I feel a shiver shoot up my spine, I stand there frozen for a split second before the adrenaline kicks in. My feet pounding in my winter boots to the young girl's body,slowing to an almost skidding stop to the police to inform them I could be of assistance ,showing my hospital ID tag just for reinforcement before tending to the pale faced girl. She looked so young, 16 at a push,clad in only a black leotard and pale pink practice skirt, leggings and a washed out,shabby looking hoody draped over her pointy shoulder blades. The whites of her eyes flicker unnervingly as I grasp her tiny hand donned in aqua nail varnish which I later realised matched the exact colour of her glinting blue orbs. "Hello,hello can you hear me, squeeze my fingers if you can hear me" my heart thudded against my chest wall waiting anxiously for even a faint squeeze, first I thought I was imagining it,willing it to happen when a small moan escaped from her heart shaped lips that told me she was regaining consciousness. After much coaxing I managed to retrieve basic information from girl,of whom was named Harper and was the tender age of 16,when out of my peripheral vision I felt the glare of gawping passer-bys guiltlessly staring this poor kid,the flash of cameras of local newspapers blur my vision ,the policemen try coaxing pedestrians away and the hounding journalists.I look up to discover already the area was already sectioned off for police evidence, I smile gratefully before scanning Harper's defenseless body to find blood pooling relentlessly from her just below her ribcage.

**Policeman's P.O.V**

The doctor was already doused in scarlet blood within minutes of tending to the child. When it came to my job I always tried my best to remain proffesional,easy enough, I'd never really suffered the hardship that most of our criminals had been through. My whole life I'd lead a sheltered life,even now I had a cushy lifestyle ,a beautiful wife and an equally beautiful daughter of whom had me wrapped around her little finger. Maybe that's why I felt the stinging of tears welling in my eyes as I watched the petite blonde fight tirelessly with the aid of the doctor her dear little life. She reminded me so much of my own daughter,her blonde hair,her soft voice a that was almost impossible to detect a hint of accent. I had trouble convincing myself that the body on the street had no relation to me. The doctor twisted herself around from the ailing child,her huge blue eyes glinted with worry told me this situation was more than serious "we need another doctor on scene!" she barked, my colleague complied to her command already muttering into his radio "and that ambulance better be on it's way" she demanded. I moved like stone, I could barely tear my eyes away from this fragile girl,barely an adult , my brain was fogged over and all I could do was convince myself that the child would make it, and my own daughter was still tucked up in her own bed with the doors securely locked and bolted from the danger out here.

**Tom's P.O.V**

Why was Sam so late? Why wasn't she answering her phone? Those questions ran through my head on a continuous loop while I paced around cubicles so I could get first glimpse of her without appearing too eager. My eyes unintentially kept glancing at the clock praying the light click of her footsteps would appear.

There is not a single ring in the whole world that is distinctly like the red phone. It's clattering shrill makes me wince,I dashed to the desk,scooping the phone up I was told that my patient was a young girl,who had been shot,someone was already attending,I allowed my mind to wonder to the possibility that the first aider could be Sam but shook it off and got changed into the green jump suit and the matching luminous jacket. I've always loved driving the FRU (fast response unit) car, maybe it's the blue sirens or the fact I'm reliving my childhood dream of being an F1 driver, regardless stepping out of the vehicle I scanned the street and discovered what I can assume was my patient, concerned looking policemen congregated around her like bees to honey and a blonde mane bowed over her . Grabbing my kit I ran pounding to the young girl as I got closer, I began to discover a much worse scene than originally thought,the tiny girl's body was surrounded by a dark crimson puddle ,the poor kid was lying in a pool of her own blood, my legs carried me faster scooped below the police tape and finally crouched beside Sam and my unknown patient. "How did I know you'd be here" I said "I couldn't help myself" she retorted flirtaciously then self consciously continued " this is Harper,she's 16 years old, single gun shot to the lower chest,several dislocations to her right fib and tib the joint is already too swollen for us to set". The child's eyes were frantic and wide with fear I knew I had to do something to reassure her not only for her state of mind but for her health as well,encasing her frozen cold hand on my gloved one " hi Harper, my name is Dr Kent but call me Tom,I'm going to sort some pain out for you ok sweetheart" I said softly "the pleasure is all mine" she replied in a thick voice as though she was about to burst into tears but held out her skeletal hand for me to shake . I gave her two canulas one for the pain relief and a second one in case anymore blood vessels collapsed it's something we call KVO (keep vein open) Harper appeared to be more at ease but her shaking told me she was getting dangerously cold ,removing my jacket I placed it beneath her broken body and her eyes told me she incredibly grateful. Suddenly with out warning she tried jerking up " I have to go,what if they come back,they'll definitely kill me then" she gabbled quickly panicked, but before she could even manage to scramble to her feet (which I doubt she could) Sam pinned her down by her shoulders "oh no you don't Harper , you're staying right here with us" Harper's breathing began to rapidly deteriorate so I gave her 20% oxygen but I knew there wasn't that much we could do out here, reading my thoughts Sam said "where is that ambulance?! Here give me the radio,you can take over the pressure" leaping to her feet without a word of consent she grabbed my radio and walked a few metres and began the enquire. "Harper,Harper" I said gently shaking her shoulder "try and keep your eyes open darling, know you're tired,what did you mean by 'they' Harper?" "there was so many of them Tom, they were screaming in my face, they kept hitting me" she replied panicked, her chest moved rapidly recounting the horror she had witnessed. She became very breathless gasping at each word before her heavy eyelids closed and she went very silent.

**Harper's P.O.V**

The darkness at the back of my eyelids were tugging the whole time I spoke to Tom,my eyelids felt like lead and I could feel the tendrils of sleep pulling me down before I knew it it had swallowed me whole. Voices became murmurs then whispers until they were in audible and I was in blackness. My mind detected a loud voice,loud enough to wake me from my slumber,my eyes flickered allowing light to seep through the tiny crack of eye I had exposed I lay stunned for a split second then the whole recollection of today's events come flooding back to me. Tom looked relieved "you had me there" he said softly " I try my best" I said in a mere whisper. I felt Sam's thudding footsteps until she drew to a holt and loomed over me,she tried to talk to Tom quietly,but I heard her irritated voice " the tailgate of the ambulance is broken, they're sending one from St James" "how long is that going to take?" Tom replied,his eyes round and enquisitive "10 minutes" Sam retorted irately as though Tom was being deliberately dumb. Tom's smile fell, "we don't have that much time,she's already bleeding out so much" he said worriedly " I told them that,we have to get her into hospital" I saw her notion towards the car that Tom had arrived in ,her eyes glinting with rebellion as soon as Tom caught on he looked terrified " we can't use the FRU car " there's no trolley ,sterile tools,nothing!" he replied as sternly as he tried. "We'll what else do you expect us to do? Leave her to .." She trailed off unable to say the dreaded three letter word in front of me "fine screw it,you're right" Tom sniffed as he turned towards me "Harper? We need to get you into hospital you know that right?" "Which one?" my little voice mumbled "Holby City ED" my heart began thudding against my chest "no,no please not that one" I panicked " Harper ,you're really poorly it's the closest one ,please" Tom pleaded ,his big blue eyes boring into mine "fine" I whispered "good girl" Tom replied softly stroking my damp blonde hair " I'm going to lift you into the car over there" he explained "will it hurt?" I asked "brace yourself" he speculated. His big arms scooped me up from the cold street corner and I whimpered in agony. His legs strode towards the car and I looked behind to see the scene we were about to disperse from; forensic police were already scouring the area, schools of police were littered around the area and the odd journalist scribbled furiously for the local gazette .Gently placed in the back seats of Tom's car we began the descent to the dreaded hospital...


	2. Chapter 2

Sirens grated against the crumbling homes of residents in Holby, a small car sped through the tiny alleyways , several pedestrians jumped out in the way in haste of the racing vehicle. If you peered very carefully as they meandered around the city you would see two figures with crumpled faces of melancholy, in fact if you we're particularly meticulous you would notice a small trickle of cherry blood on the door handle that had dribbled slightly. The car finally began to slow to a stop at a lay-by where a blonde character emerged from the front seat of the car, flung open the back door to reveal a limp body pulsating the car in blood. Another figure appeared ,hooking the corpse to a machine while his college began pounding on the same body bobbing up and down pressing down on the lifeless chest she stepped away as a loud shock was delivered , the girls pulse was checked. The two doctors scrambled back to the front seats and raced away the siren still screeching.


	3. Chapter 3

**Fletch's P.O.V**

My shift had just started and the ED was eerily quiet, triage was virtually empty. When a place as big as this is what we condemn as "quiet" we always know something big is about to happen. I lounged against the reception desk anxiously anticipating the next case to fly through the doors ,but yet no avail. Tom had disappeared just over half an hour ago and he hadn't reappeared which then added to the tension as the team waited,unable to enjoy the peace by the fear of the creepy stillness in reception. It is rare I get to watch the news that's played in the plasma tv in reception as usually we're inundated with patients but today I watched happily to pass away the seconds of my shift,a breaking news headline border appeared at the bottom of the screen describing an attack of a unknown female in the streets of holby,the story flashed up on the screen showed a news reporter describing the scene as he stood outside of the police eyes remained glued to the screen,but my mind was running wild with the epidemic of people terrified to leave their home because of a supposed crazed gunman on the loose, my heart raced as I wondered if I had locked the doors as I left the house this morning while my family slept peacefully .

When suddenly the red doors were flung open reveiling Tom running through carrying a young girl in his arms,her legs bobbing lifelessly as he pounded the polished floor. "Can I get some help here please!" He shouted across the reception. I ran to the resus doors to hold them open as Tom slid through the gap in the doorway and lay the what looked like a sleeping child on a trolley. "This is Harper,she's 16 years old,shes been shot with only one penetrating wound on lower chest I've given her 50mg of morphine and 25,mg of IV paracetamol she crashed in transit but we managed to successfully resuscitate her, she's lost approximately 3 litres of blood ,some lacerations to face,chest,arm but what's concerning me is the single bullet wound" Tom spat out quickly "exit wound?" Enquired Ash who had followed the chaos into recuss. "We haven't been able to check, I didn't want to distress her anymore" Tom explained as he applied new dressings to Harper's gushing wound and the team began the routine that we were all so used to,Sam used the scissors hastily gliding along the fabric of clothes ,tearing them off in a careless manner desperate to tend to the teenage girl,Sam's arms were elbow deep damp with blood and she had plasma smeared across her forehead, regardless she carried stand and watch the team must be terrifying for parents to watch, within minutes Harper was stripped from her blood soaked clothes and covered in different leads that were attached to numerous machines, the team dashed around Harper, organising x-rays ,sorting out files. Anyone who didn't work in the NHS or even the ED would think that recuss was complete Armageddon ,but each and everyone of us knew our own job and like a well-oiled machine we busied around the young patient who allowed moans of what sounded like extreme pain seep from her semi-conscious lips. As Harper began to regain consciousness her she placed her arm over her stinging eyes and her unharmed leg into an acute angle. If I were in recuss for one of my kids, I'd be past myself, to know they could be lying alone,scared and in unimaginable pain makes my chest feel tight just thinking about it.I couldn't help but feel just slightly guilty for the young girls parents who no doubt would be devastated when the heard the news. I scoured the room for Aofie ,my mentee because as terrible as it sounds this would be great experience, a hard one no doubt but a crucial lesson for any trainee nurse. Aofie just stared at the kid,without blinking, following her gaze I looked back at Harper,she was beautiful; her creamy skin looked ever harsh against the crusty dried blood that was slathered across her arm and her hair, a golden waterfall splayed against the black trolley,her face was very pale another very bad sign that she was loosing too much blood too fast and her fists were clenched trying to withhold the extreme pain the poor girl was suffering from. Sometimes all it takes is to take a step back to look, as I watched my colleges and this girl, a child I couldn't help sense how terrifying alone this girl was,we had yet to phone her parents but it frightens me how we can be so delicate, and how cruel we can be as human beings. Raised voices are detected and after my moment of thoughtfulness I set about my job as part of the team taking her hand gently as not to hurt her because she had some small lacerations on her bird-like hands " Hiya Harper my name is Fletch ,you're in Holby City hospital I'm going to take care of you" as I said this her glinting blue eyes flashed open shedding big thick tears down her ghostly pale cheeks and all she said in reply was "I want my dad"

**Harper's P.O.V**

"Lets cross match 4 litres of blood" "are you allergic to anything love?" "call theatres and lets get a chest drains just in case" "someone chase her notes!" Medical jargen is thrown around the room by the doctors. The cries of hurt bubbled at my lips, I press my lips tightly as not to let the groans escape. People buzz around me, babbling in what sounds like foreign languages."Hi Harper my name is doctor Ashford or Ash if we're going to be mates". My eyes roll into the back of my end desperate to evacuate the scene but the voices get louder and they shake my shoulders. Peeling my eyes open to find wide eyed expressions staring down at me I suddenly feel very self conscious.I had been stripped of my tutu and leotard only wearing my sports bra and some very mangled black leggings .Crossing my arms across my chest as to try in a vain attempt to maintain some dignity "try and keep still sweetheart" Sam gently complains. Bright lights are shone in my eyes , a blood pressure cuff tautens around my arm, blood is being taken from the other arm as if there wasn't enough pooling out my wound. A cold stethoscope is placed on my rapidly moving chest and questions are being thrown at me faster than I can answer them, the questions baffle me and the amount of people scurrying around this room going in and of the door relentlessly swinging on its hinges terrifies me more than my own condition. The doors continuous swinging allows a small man in a blue shirt to emerges through the doorway ,he scuttles towards the doctor who maintains the pressure on my abdomen, I can't quite remember his name ,it begins with an A,I know that much. "Dr Ashford, there is no AB- blood within an hours radius" the small man speaks lowly ,his shirt reveals he is a receptionist "she mightn't have that long" doctor er Ashford replies concerned "How is it getting here?" Ash continues "Louise is trying to get a chopper out" the receptionist retorts "update me as soon as you can" Ash says quietly "lets get factor 7H for clotting please someone!" "What's going on,please" I plead helplessly twisting to face my high pitched concerns Ash takes my hand, his friendly eyes stare down at me bleeding sympathy"you have a very rare blood type Harper, it's going to take a little while to get here but you're in the best possible hands I promise" my vice like grip on his gloved hand loosens and he retreats picking up my hand to examine my black leather medi-tag "you have epilepsy?" he enquires ,I nod obediently "ok let's get 25mg diazepam" he directs to one nurse then back to me "what meds are you usually on?" "Sodium valproate" I reply knowledgeably "you star!" He praises. I see police hanging around outside through the windows of the now still doors my mind whirls panicked,my stomach churns with nauseua .My arms prop me up and I cling to the sides of the trolley for support "hey Harper, you're not going anywhere,c'mon lets lie you back down"Tom bargains with me, I can only manage to shake my head before collapsing against the railings,fortunately Tom supports my fall so my cracked ribs don't bash against the cold steal, supporting me with one arm he can tell my face is deathly white, he grabs a sick bowl with the other arm from a near by portable counter and holds it beneath my chin while I wretch into it, when the sickness finally depletes he retracts and gasps, inside the the sick dish is a red substance that swishes freely not gloopy like sick. Then it dawns on me .It's not sick. It's blood.


	4. Chapter 4

Harper stared for a moment, her horrified face glaring at the liquid that was contained within the cardboard confines. Her lips scarlet,that seeped into the cracks of her lips and began to dribble down her chin, wiping her chin with the back of her hand as if it were milk she retracted her hand and stared at her hand,oblivious to the machines that bleeped and whirled angrily she continued to stare in utter shock at her hand. The heart monitor reached an even higher pitch that increased the urgency and with that she fell back into Tom's toned arms. Her body relaxed and floppy but her eyes stared unnervingly open and her chest frighteningly still.

**I always look at the reviews and try to respond to the feedback and to whoever said what's the point in updating for only a short paragraph,so sorry if that upset you or whatever but I have exams coming up and I'm trying to revise hence why it's only a short paragraph,but also I'm not sure what I want to happen to Harper so I wanted to experiment with that as well, so there you go mate sorry for the inconvenience-Liv x **


	5. Chapter 5

**Sam's P.O.V**

Exiting from resus I went to the staff room, perhaps a little shocked from the sudden chain of events just I had just witnessed, however no more shocked than when I look into the mirror, blood is smeared across my forehead, parts of bloody hand prints stain my neck and my clothes are dappled in flecks of the red fluid. Tearing my clothes off in an anxious panic, desperate to no longer have Harper's prints on me I scrub my face vigorously once I had changed into my unflattering scrubs. I stared at the transformation that had happened within a matter of minutes but I still felt, well I couldn't, I couldn't pinpoint this exact feeling, I felt dirty, unclean, as though the only way I could feel like me was if I tore my skin off.

Pivoting on the spot to the window of the staff room I saw staff flocking to resus ,following the commotion to resus, Tom was stood over Harper pounding her chest with compressions the unpleasant crunching of her ribs was heard over the whirling machines that alerted us of Harper's unstable condition, from her mouth there was blood that dribbled from the corner. Leaping into action I pushed past the nurses 'what happened Tom?' I asked 'Some kind if internal bleed, probably gastro' he replied breathlessly,his eyes not straying from the patient 'I'll get an ultrasound, someone get Dr Ashford, and ring theatres, I want them down here ASAP' I barked .Obediently Fletch and the team began scurrying torders bouncy trainers and I screeched to find the ultrasound before dragging it painfully slowly back to resus, Tom had managed to stabilise her but he had the intubation kit out just in case, he was gently removing the traces of blood from her slightly parted pale lips 'where's that blood? She's getting weaker by the second' Tom complained 'Louise has used her, er powerful technique of persuasion so the blood is getting here by helicopter,hopefully not too long' Ash said reassuringly as he looked to the grainy black and white picture of the ultrasound that I had set up while he was talking, as I moved the Doppler looking for a bleed I scoured the screen 'wait,wait go back' Ash directed as I did so my eyes found it almost immediately, from her pancreas there was huge amounts of pooling blood into the peritoneal cavity. 'We don't have time to wait for theatre' Ash's eyes grinned almost mischievously' he said knowing how angry Zoe would be to find we had a done a high risk procedure in recuss. Tom's face was blank,thinking of the consequences and weighing up the options,once he had concluded 'lets do it' he said his brow furrowed and with that Harper was dosed with a heavy sedative and we were all donned in green surgical gowns a scalpel in Tom's slightly shaking hands inches from her creamy skin.

**I really don't know what should happen to Harper, so some suggestions would be ace! -Liv x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Tom's P.O.V**

I hate being out of my comfort zone. Find me in the pub,with the ladies or even here at the ED doing tricky diagnoses , I get a buzz off that, I feel comfortable.

But standing here with a razor sharp scalpel millimetres away from Harper's lily white skin makes my head spin and my stomach curdle. I feel everyone's eyes glaring at me, stay cool Tom,deep breathes, come on you can do it "Tom?" Ash asks gently "yes,ok making the first incision" I stammered as steadily as I could. The knife glided along her skin as if it were butter,blood poured out of the new incision and the slurp of the suction began to clear up the mess I had made. I felt my head moisten with sweat as I chewed on my lip with concentration,what next? Fumbling clumsily I tried to find the source of the bleed which became increasingly difficult as the rate her bleeding began to accelerate, each vein looked the same,there was no way I could find the source, it was happening too quickly,I couldn't do it."I can't find the bleed source,she's running out of time,she needs the blood!" I panicked "Stay calm Tom you can do it, get some more light and suction,Linda? Will you go and see the status of the blood please?" I didn't even see her exit,my brain was going into over-drive my eyes blurring all my focus ,squeezing my eyes tightly shut to try and regain focus without avail.

Shit.

My heart racing, and sickness riddling my shaking body I knew I had to get out. And quick. To make matters worse Harper's heart monitor began to bark furiously,cautious murmurs chanted her status but my brain wasn't taking anything in.

"She's in VF!"

I heard that.

Bolting for the door,barging past startled nursing staff I made for the loos where the whole content of my stomach was emptied into the toilet bowl.


	7. Chapter 7

**Harper's P.O.V**

Warm lights bask my face and calm voices turn from once worried ones. I feel at total peace,nothing hurts,nothing is panicked. I can hear my dad's soft growly Irish accent he speaks the way he used to as he read me and my sister our bed time story before he kissed us on the forehead and tucked us into our rickety bunk bed.

Blackness overtakes my warm light. Panic overtakes my peace. My dad's voice disappears and I try screaming to hold onto the last octave but he can't hear it, I can't hear it. Strange bleeps are heard instead and the pain comes back stronger than ever.

'Harper, Harper?' A voice appears, it's not my dad's though it's a strangers or someone as a good as a stranger. My eyes are peeled open by force and a piercing light is shone inside my pupil which contstricts angrily. I paw away angrily at the rude intruder who dared interrupt my slumber. But instead of leaving me alone they take my hand in theirs and everything comes flooding back to me. My dad, the army, my mum and our accident, my sister,and finally the shooting and my attack. It all comes back so quickly it takes my breath away and a tightness appears in my chest.

Blurred figures become clearer, Tom's face looms over mine and the dreaded sympathetic smile appear occurs on Tom's lips.'Harper you've had an operation, you had some internal bleeding in your stomach, but we've sorted that out' he says gently but it doesn't put me at ease like my daddy's did. 'Am I going to die?please don't let me die' I gabble desperately clinging to Tom's hand 'Not today sweetheart' he reassures me squeezing my hand as he did so.'Thank you Tom , thank you so much' I say more than gratefully, wondering if he can ever imagine how eternally grateful I am of him. 'You're more than welcome Harper, where's the name Harper from?' Tom asks inquisitively 'It was my dads idea, he loved to kill a mockingbird,he used to read it to my sister and I before bed , hence why I'm called Harper,after Harper Lee' Tom smiles and the creases of his eyes fold 'Great book' he comments 'how about we ring your dad in then?' He continues. 'My dad is dead Tom' I say quietly as his smile drops from his face.


	8. Chapter 8

**Tom's P.O.V**

"It's ok Tom" she smiled "I'm 50% of him, so I'm always with him" I just gazed. I never really thought Harper's bright personality could disguise the huge loss from her family tree. She still adored him, I know that much, I know it's not ok because she wouldn't of mentioned him so many times if it was. "What about your mum or anyone else?" I asked but she simply shook her head "My mum she, she got really depressed after my dad died she er drove off a pier with us all in it,my sister saved me you know, she undid my buckle of the seat and she tried to get my mum out while I swam to the surface. But she couldn't,she died with my mum. I think she just wanted us all to be together" she said sadly her eyes glistening with salty tears. "I'm so sorry Harper, really I am" I replied. I gazed at her, stunned by her unhappy childhood and the flawless masked cover up she used to keep herself protected. After a moment of silence Harper licked her lips " it's why I didn't want to come to this ED today, my sister died in Holby ED resus while my mum was unrecoverable. Issy was so brave, I got to kiss her goodnight, she is my hero" she spoke, her face showing for the first time vulnerability and an innocence I thought she would no longer obtain after such trauma. "So who do you live with?" I asked concerned "I live at TRBS- the royal school of ballet" she said proudly "but I'm on half term so I have to go to the 'residential unit'" she continued doing the quotation action with her fingers."what about a foster family?" I quizzed " got to have someone to want to foster you" she replied. It was very surreal, her tone was fair too bright to be talking of such dark topics, maybe she was just flippant to protect herself,maybe it just didn't sit right with me that a girl at only 16 was all alone.

**Harper's P.O.V**

I don't really like talking about my past. Everyone does that sympathetic smile that you can see right through. Tom didn't,well not like everyone else, he seemed to kind of understand me , I liked that ,it felt strange to tell a stranger my past,but weirder that he seemed to comprehend.

"I see you got the blood" I said desperate to change the subject, I hate anything too heavy,I can't deal with it. "Yes little vampire , it arrived a couple of minutes after we sedated you, you missed the helicopter" he smiled "how typical of me" I responded. "So what's going to happen to me then?" I asked looking up at Tom's masculine face "well, we'll take you up to Keller and you'll probably need quite a bit of surgery to repair your organs and you'll need some intensive physiotherapy on your leg" he replied "But what about my ballet? Please, I can't let her down, it's her dream"I panicked "who Harper?" Tom asked ,his eyebrow cocked but before I could reply a curvaceous brunette with brilliantly shiny entered resus, the angry clicks of her heels determined she was not in the mood "Tom" she growled angrily " my office now please" she demanded before storming out the doors which swung in her wake. "Looks like I'm in trouble then" Tom said quietly.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam's P.O.V

As I entered the staff room I saw Tom and Ash's heads bowed, trying to conceal their lack of repetence, well actually Ash concealed it less than Tom, or maybe Tom felt actually bad I couldn't really tell as I crossed the room to the last remaining chair to be reprimanded by Zoe which by all accounts seems unrighteousnessly unfair as we saved Harper's life. "What the hell do you think you we're playing at?!" Zoe growled loudly across the mahogany desk at her three conspicuous employees, who daren't look her in the face as to not reveal their lack of guilt. "If something had gone wrong, we'd have the court on the back of our heels, you could of lost your jobs, to do such a procedure on a very unstable patient was reckless and stupid as we all know you're very competent doctors. What's worse is you didn't consult me. I don't know if you're aware but I am clinical lead around here and you should always come and ask me if you're about to do a procedure of a high intensity" Zoe bawled. "We were fast running out of time-" Ash tried but Zoe cut him off " I was two minutes away from resus you could easily of found me, that is certainly not an excuse, I'm giving you all unofficial warnings but if even think about stepping even a quarter of a toe out of line, I'll need to think of even more serious sanctions" she growled but in a slightly more friendly tone. "Now go and treat some patients, don't let me hear of you doing anything stupid, or I will not be happy" she snarled but in almost jokingly way.

As we exited the office,palms still sweaty, I went to go and check on how Harper was doing, probably sleeping off the shock,most patients do when something like that has happened. But as I enter resus, I see something horribly wrong. Harper is convulsing violently,her body throwing itself off the bars of the trolley, the drip cannula has been ripped from her skin and blood is leaking across the sheets, the heart monitor is an inch away from falling from the stand due to her aggressive fit,but what's worse is her clouded chesty breathing that can be heard over the clatter of her seizure.


	10. Chapter 10

Tom's P.O.V

I could hear Sam's shouting from the concealed cubicle, her voice high pitched with worry. Excusing myself from another time waster with a sniffly nose I flung the curtain open and began to follow Sam's concerns. Drawing closer to resus I saw her struggling to pin down Harper's writhing body "I think it's delayed shock after the adrenaline from the attack it's triggered a fit" Sam gasped breathlessly "How long has the grand mal been going on?" I asked "I've no idea, a couple of minutes" Sam replied as I injected diazepam straight into Harper's blood stream while Sam tried to put her stethoscope to Harper's wriggling chest,it sounded like a pneumothorax,maybe a hemopnemothorax.

About a minute later Harper's violent thrashes had depleted to slight trembles until it had completely subsided."Let's get a head scan ASAP,and some one get Zoe, lets do a chest drain, it's definitely a hemopnemothorax" I commanded to my colleges. Then I just stared at her, her thin collar bones sticking out of her chest like scaffolding on a building,her peaceful sleeping face,she seemed to be happier than when she was conscious,and that saddened me deeply.

The clack of Zoe's carvela heels announced her arrival "You wanted me Tom?" She asked sounding stressed,her blackberry still glued to the palm of her hand. "I just wanted to ask if I could do my job" I hissed irratated, I'm a doctor for gods sake, I shouldn't have to creep around asking if I can do my job. "What's the problem?" Zoe asked cooly despite my rudeness "hemopnemothorax to the left cavity, she was left fitting while we had a word earlier,the force of the seizure made her lung collapse" I said intent in making Zoe feel guilty. "Ok, are you ok to do it?" Zoe asked apologetically making me feel cruel for picking on her ."Yeah thanks" I smiled.

Still shaken from today's earlier mishap ,I stood at the side lines to pass things to Sam,I just couldn't face messing up was beginning to regain consciousness,post ictal she was incredibly tired but she seemed to comprehend what was going on."Harper, your broken ribs have punctured your lung when you were fitting,we need to put a chest drain in,are your fits as usually as bad as that?" I asked as I watched all the cogs in her brain whirl to be able to reciprocate an answer " no,they're usually about 30 seconds to a minute,how long was I down for?" She asked "we're not sure, a good five minutes at least" I replied softly. "Just lift up your left arm sweetheart" Sam asked,which surprised me ,she rarely used terms of endearment regarding a patient but in a way it made me even prouder of Sam. I watched Sam perform the chest drain, her face tense with concentration, her teal grey eyes working in perfect co-ordination with her brain and hands "30fg tube please Tom"Sam commanded in doing so she placed the tubing into her chest,elevating the wheezes that radiated from Harper's body. "There that should make you feel bit better now Harper, try and take lots of nice deep easy breathes ok, I'll get you some morphine"Sam said holding Harper's bandaged hand in hers. It was strange to see Sam act maternal,I say act,it looked so natural as though she was doing it without even thinking ,it was something that I didn't think Sam had in her regardless I felt my heart thudding against my chest wall with admiration for Sam. Disrupting my train of thought "Tom can you organise a chest x-ray and a head CT,make sure the seizure didn't leave any lasting effects" Sam said warmly "yes boss" I replied rolling my eyes making Harper girlishly giggle and in turn making me smile. "Y'know the police are desperate to have a word with you,maybe not yet,let you recover a bit,but the earlier they can get the information the more likely they're able to get the person who did this to you" I said as softly as I could as not to make her feel pressured "persons" she said quietly "what?" I asked looking at her delicate face who did not look back at me."There was a whole gang Tom,they said they'd kill me if I told, I can't tell,please don't make me tell" she said in a mere whisper "I can't make you do anything Harper but do you want the people who did this to you to do it to other people?" She simply shook her head ashamed by what had happened to her "this isn't your fault Harper" I said firmly "don't you ever think that this was your fault, you did not deserve to be hurt like this,no one does,please remember that ok?" I said gradually getting angrier by each syllable, I know I needed to rein myself back in,in order to stay proffesional but My blood couldn't help but boil at the thought that those animals had attacked such a helpless child.


	11. Chapter 11

**Policeman's P.O.V**

After an hours break back at the station that the boss said I needed after seeing that girl being attacked, I even got offered therapy,when you work in my kind of job the bosses are always keen for you to have therapy instead of working it up and having a midlife crisis,therefore taking weeks,even months off work,in the end it all adds up to trying to save money.

I was radioed to Holby City ED to do some questioning of the girl I had encountered earlier in the day. I was shown to resus where she lay eyes closed,face soft looking a hell of a lot better than she did when I first met her but still deathly pale. As I approached her bed her eyes opened alert,large in her petite face."I don't suppose you remember me do you?" I asked gently "did you find me?" She quizzed "yeah, it's good to see you looking a bit better than when I first saw you" I smiled sympathetically to which she didn't reply."So do you want to tell me what happened today Harper?"I said getting my notebook out slowly as not to panic her. Taking a deep breath her voice already oddly thick "I was on my way to ballet practise, my mum always wanted to be a ballerina but she couldn't so,I'm doing it for her" she gabbled,I wondered why as it had no relevance but she continued "I was running really late for practise ,so I took a short cut as I was coming down the steps there were these guys dealing drugs, I was going to go right back up but they saw me and pushed me over into all this glass" as she spoke I looked at her eyes, glazed over recounting it "they started kicking me. I was screaming. They were shouting at me telling me if I told they'd kill me, please don't let them kill me"she pleaded, I reached out to hold her hand but she retracted nervously. "Perhaps you could do this another time, I don't want her getting more distressed" a tall curley haired doctor said sternly placing his hands in Harper's shoulders while she shielded her weeping face into his scrubs ."No Tom, I need to." She said breathlessly "Ok, you're so brave" the doctor replied before to continue the mountains of paper work that comes with the job. " Then I just remember looking up and there're was this gun pointed at me ,I tried to get away but I couldn't move properly and they pulled the trigger.." Her words trailing off as she began to hyperventilate and her heart monitor alarmed that her body was under much distress. Within seconds Tom was by her side sliding an oxygen mask over her gasping face "Get help!" He growled at me,pushing my stool aside I ran to the temporarily still doors of resus "can we get some help in here!" I shouted my voice wavering slightly. The staff flooded through the doors, first the dark blonde who I'd met previously in the day, then a cockney sounding nurse, a bald tall doctor,one after the other pounding through the doors gathering around Harper who gasped one time more painfully than the other. I stood and watched, although I had no relation to this child I felt the terrible fear that a parent must have when they watch their child suffer."Harper, tell me where it hurts" the female doctor asked calmly "My chest ,my left arm" the child replied her reply contorted with groans of agony "Myocardial infarction?" Tom quizzed looking confused "sounds like it,rare in teenagers especially healthy ones" the bald doctor replied authoritively. "Let's get an ECG, some IV paracetamol stat" barked the blonde doctor that everyone called Sam. "Please what's going on?!" Harper cried above the medical jargon and whirling machines "it sounds like you might be having a heart attack" Ash stated "now you need to stay calm really calm for us ok princess" Fletch said reassuringly.

The machines supporting Harper seemed to be failing, high pitched bleeps sped up "Harper,Harper? Keep your eyes open for me" Tom cried desperately stroking her hair his eyes pleading at her unconscious face. "She's in VF!" "Someone get the crash team" "Tom start compressions" "Get some adrenaline" the staff's once calm tones escalated to desperate ones. I stared and watched as Tom pounded on the chest of this girl "c'mon Harper please,don't do this" Tom murmured to the body. "First shot of adrenaline going in,out the way Tom, shocking to 180 everybody clear" the first shock was delivered, sending her body with a thump back onto the trolley "again, second shock, clear and shocking" with no avail. They continued this routine for another 20 minutes each time her body refused to the pleas of modern medicine. "I think we all need to agree,this is past recoverable" Ash contemplated "no please,please,she's too young,she can't die, not like this,she was going to be a ballerina, she doesn't want to die" Tom shouted,the vein in his head throbbing and his chin wobbling as though he was about to cry. "Time of death 15:16" Ash said slowly,respectfully. "Sorry Tom" Fletch tried but Tom flung his sympathetic hand off his own shoulder, he hated sympathy as much as Harper. The last I saw of Tom was him flinging the resus doors wide open,storming through them angrily,not even looking back.

**Tom's P.O.V**

When resus was empty ,I crept in,knelt beside the trolley that Harper lay on silently,taking her hand in mine I stared at her peaceful face, I don't think she was alone anymore,she was with her family. Whispering to her,with the unfamiliar heat of a warm tear that rolled dawn my face I said the only think I felt appropriate. "I'm sorry Harper" picking myself up and leaving,wiping the tear briskly on the sleeve of my shirt.

**Statistics in Britain suggest that within 8 years (2005-2013) that there has been 29 teenage lives taken due to gun crime.**


End file.
